Smart home technology brings the convenience of product control right to your fingertips.It can also help you manage and reduce your energy consumption. Smart home energy management systems perform certain actions automatically, in a way that is designed to reduce energy costs while being tailored to meet your specific lifestyle needs. They also allow users to monitor their energy consumption and identify performance issues. Samsung's SmartThings Energy is the first mass-market smart home energy management system to earn ENERGY STAR certification. Individual smart home products that have earned the ENERGY STAR label, including thermostats, lighting, and various appliances, are recognized for their superior energy efficiency as well as connectivity.
What smart home device is best to start with?
Depending on your budget, there are several smart devices you can start with to simplify energy management and reduce your energy use. From least, to most expensive:
- Smart plugs for use on small appliances (like a hair curler or straightener, coffee maker, etc.)
- ENERGY STAR certified smart lights
- ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat
Both plugs and ENERGY STAR certified smart lights are an inexpensive way to beginyour smart home journey and are nice compliments to a voice assistant. You can use these devices to schedule or control products, based on your voice command or your location, to save energy when you’re not home. To get the biggest bang for your buck, a smart thermostat that has earned the ENERGY STAR is an extremely effective smart technology for reducing energy use, considering that heating and cooling account for the largest share of energy consumption in households. Smart thermostats offer the ability to monitor and adjust your home’s temperature, even when you are outside of the home. Theyeven detect when nobody is in the house through geofencing, allowing the thermostat to ease off the heating/cooling when the home is empty. As the average American household spends over $900 a year on heating and cooling, a smart thermostat offers convenient comfort for climate control and energy reduction.
Can my smart home products work together?
Yes, but you will still need to check to see which type of connectivity protocols the devices are using to make sure they will work together - or you may need to get some sort of hub or bridge to connect different devices.
The ENERGY STAR program recognizes products and services that are designed to work together to help consumers reduce and manage energy consumption. ENERGY STAR certified smart home energy management systems include service packages that allow customizable scheduling, remote device control, and automated device control based on occupancy.
For additional information on how to save energy using smart technology, visit: https://www.energystar.gov/products/smart_home_tips
